Journey to Gengxin City

The next day, at dawn.

The sky had only just begun to brighten, and a faint fish-belly white rose in the eastern distance.

An ice-blue carriage stood quietly by the roadside, with three people beside it: two young women in ice-blue uniforms and a youth.

"Little Liar, thanks for this time. Until we meet again." Shui Yue'er raised a hand and lightly punched Yao Yan's chest, expressing her gratitude in her own unique way.

Yao Yan did not feel any pain, but the nickname left him both amused and helpless. "How did I become a Little Liar?"

"Hmph, you don't remember? Think carefully about what you said at the inn." Shui Yue'er pursed her lips.

"What I said at the inn..." Yao Yan muttered to himself before finally recalling that he had tricked them at the inn back then.

He shook his head helplessly. It seemed this nickname would follow him for the rest of his life.

Seeing that he remembered, a hint of mischief flashed through Shui Yue'er's eyes. She hooked her arm through her sister's and said teasingly, "Bing'er was the one who gave you that nickname."

"Yue'er!" Shui Bing'er gently scolded, the tips of her ears turning faintly red. When she looked at Yao Yan, her gaze held an apology. "Sorry, it just slipped out back then. I didn't mean anything by it..."

Yao Yan hurriedly waved his hand. "It's only a nickname. It's nothing."

He then took a package from his Soul Tool and handed it over. "These are specialties from Qingshan Town. You can try them on your way back."

"Thank you." Shui Bing'er gave a slight, elegant bow.

She turned to her sister and signaled for her to take it, but Shui Yue'er did not move for a long while.

"What are you looking at me for? It isn't for me, so I'm not taking it." She deliberately turned her face away, though the corners of her lips secretly curled upward.

Shui Yue'er secretly laughed. My dear sister, one day, I'll have to bring the two of you together.

Shui Bing'er could only accept it herself and thank him once more.

After the three exchanged a few more pleasantries, the sun had risen, and the Sisters Shui Bing'er were about to leave for the academy.

"Little Liar, remember to come play with us at Skywater Academy when you have time!" Before boarding the carriage, Shui Yue'er turned back and winked at Yao Yan.

"I definitely will." Yao Yan agreed with a smile.

"Yao Yan, if anything comes up, remember to write to us at Skywater Academy," Shui Bing'er reminded him before leaving.

At that moment, Shui Yue'er poked her head out the carriage window, her voice clear and loud. "You can write even if nothing comes up! Remember to write to my Bing'er often!"

She said it so loudly, as if afraid no one would hear her.

The townspeople watching nearby burst into laughter at the sight, and someone joked, "Young people these days really are interesting!"

"Yue'er!" Shui Bing'er blushed furiously and hurried into the carriage, where she began tussling with her.

The other young women covered their mouths and laughed softly as the carriage gradually disappeared amid the laughter.

Yao Yan watched the ice-blue carriage vanish at the end of the road before finally withdrawing his gaze.

Thinking of what had just happened, he could not help shaking his head. Even the dumbest fool could see what Shui Yue'er was thinking.

But he had no mood to think about such things now. He still had to return to Jieyou Pharmacy and prepare for his journey to Gengxin City.

The Blacksmith Association had sent another letter, saying they had found a material to aid with heating. It seemed he was not far from being able to refine pills.

Filled with anticipation, Yao Yan turned and returned to the pharmacy.

Inside Skywater Academy's carriage, seven beautiful young women sat side by side, while Shui Bing'er and Shui Yue'er sat far apart.

One was lowering her head to straighten her slightly mussed hair, while the other raised a hand to smooth her collar.

They had clearly just had a round of "battle."

After fixing her hair, Shui Yue'er secretly shot a look at the girls beside her, then shamelessly scooted over to Shui Bing'er.

"What are you coming over here for?" Shui Bing'er frowned, with a trace of annoyance still in her voice.

Shui Yue'er grabbed her arm and hugged it, acting spoiled. "Come on, sister, I'm doing this for your own good! You'll be thanking me in the future."

"Thank you..." Shui Bing'er was speechless. "Do you know how embarrassed I was just now?"

Seeing that her sister was still somewhat upset, Shui Yue'er's eyes shifted as she swiftly changed the subject. "Oh, right, didn't Little Liar give us a package? Hurry up and open it to see what's inside."

Shui Bing'er took the package from her Soul Tool and handed it to her, while she herself turned to look out the window, her expression somewhat dazed.

This trip to the Star Dou Great Forest had truly brought her too many shocks.

The moment the package appeared, it immediately drew everyone's attention. Shui Yue'er carefully opened it, and it indeed contained specialties from Qingshan Town.

Spicy strips, dried sweet potatoes, sugar tangerines, raisins...

Shui Yue'er carefully rummaged through it until she found an exquisite box at the very bottom. Her eyes suddenly lit up, knowing this had to be the biggest gift.

She cautiously opened it, only to find a Soul Bone gleaming with icy crystalline light lying inside.

"Isn't this that Head Soul Bone?!" Shui Yue'er cried out.

Shui Bing'er, who had been lost in thought, abruptly turned her head at the shout, unable to believe it for a moment.

"He... he actually gave us something this precious?"

She hurriedly stood and took the Soul Bone from Shui Yue'er. Her fingertips touched its icy surface, confirming that it was indeed the Head Soul Bone from the Frost Giant Wolf.

"Bing'er, there's also a letter for you." Shui Yue'er took a letter from the box. Written on it were the words: To Shui Bing'er Personally.

Shui Bing'er returned to her seat, placed the Soul Bone on her lap, and carefully opened it to pull out the letter inside.

Its contents were simple, addressing two matters. First, the Head Soul Bone was being given to Shui Bing'er as a gift of friendship.

Second, it had originally been intended to be given to her in person, but since she would surely refuse it, this roundabout method had been chosen instead.

Shui Bing'er gazed at the Soul Bone on her lap with a complicated expression.

"Such a precious gift... how am I supposed to repay you?"

Star Dou Great Forest, Lake of Life.

Seated high in the void, the Golden Eye Dragon King, Di Tian, slowly opened his golden eyes, which seemed to contain the stars themselves.

He suddenly sensed something unusual. With a flicker, his figure vanished from where he stood.

When he reappeared, he was already standing beside the pool where Yao Yan had previously absorbed his Soul Ring.

Di Tian stared grimly at the deep pit. Reaching out, he made a grasping motion through the air, and three lingering traces of energy fell into his palm.

One black, one green, and one black-purple, intertwined in an eerie and unfathomable aura.

He naturally recognized the black and green energies. One belonged to himself, while the other belonged to the Blue Silver Emperor.

His gaze, however, locked tightly onto that strand of black-purple energy. After sensing it briefly, Di Tian's expression abruptly darkened.

He suddenly swept his hand.

"Boom—!!!"

The entire pool exploded in an instant. The ground began to cave in, rocks tumbled down, and in the blink of an eye, the pool was completely buried.

Only after erasing every trace of this place did he return to the Lake of Life.

A breathtakingly beautiful figure had already been waiting there. Seeing his grave expression, she hurried forward. "Di Tian, what happened?"

It was the first time she had ever seen Di Tian reveal such an expression.

Di Tian fell silent for a moment before slowly sitting down in midair, his voice low. "Call them all back. Do not show yourselves in the outside world for the time being. In the forest... I sensed the aura of a deity."

"A deity!?" The woman's face immediately drained of color, her eyes filled with shock.

She said no more and immediately turned to send word.

She understood clearly what it meant for the power of a deity to appear in the Star Dou Great Forest.

PS: First, Shui Bing'er will be offscreen for a while. Do you all still like her personality?

Second, next up is the Star Luo Empire. The alchemy journey is about to begin.